The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating images. The apparatus for producing images includes a reading device, an output device, a sorting device and a control device. Image information of several images is read from input media and image data is determined that contains the read image information. The input media are assigned to several image production orders. Using the output device, the image information that has been transferred to this device is output onto recording material.
Such methods and apparatus are used, among other places, in large-scale laboratories, where photographic images are produced and generated. Photographic films containing numerous image negatives serve as input media that contain the image information of the images. The films arriving at the large-scale lab are processed in continuous-mode machines. For example, exposure of the image information contained in the film negatives onto photographic recording material such as photographic paper is carried out in photographic printers such as, for example, the AGFA MSP or the AGFA MSP DIMAX. Both printers are continuous-mode machines that can process both the film and the photographic paper in strip shape. Such continuous-mode machines provide a particularly good quality of the generated images, a low consumption of chemicals and low personnel costs.
For film to be processed in such continuous-mode machines, a film strip must be made that combines a multitude of films to one film strip. Such a combining of individual films into one continuous strip occurs in a so-called “splicer”. The continuous strip of connected individual films is coiled into a roll of film. Such a roll of photographic film is generally called a batch. Such a batch remains connected during the entire process for generating the photographic images, and is only divided into the individual orders; that is, the individual films during the final processing step. During final processing, it is very important that all components that are assigned to one single production order are correctly arranged together. Such components of an individual order may be the order pocket of a film, the produced image print and an index print, for example. The customer—that is, the ordering party—is able to select between different alternatives for producing the images. For example, the reproduced images may be generated in different formats. Furthermore, different paper varieties are available that may, in particular, feature different surfaces (matte or glossy). To meet the different selections of the customers, the printers must be equipped with the various photographic papers. Because the configuration of the printer should not be changed continuously, for example to avoid downtime, the film batches must be assembled with as many films as possible for the same type of orders. Here, “same type” refers, in particular, to the type of photographic paper that is to be used.
To assemble batches, large-scale labs typically perform a pre-sorting of the received films according to the criteria mentioned above. Although presorting and assembling the individual films to a batch is safe and reliable, this method also has its disadvantages. For example, there is no access to individual orders as long as the batch has not been processed in its entirety. Typically, an individual photo shop sends numerous different orders to a large-scale lab in order to produce image prints corresponding to these orders. The shop is interested in receiving all orders back quickly. Thus, a short run time of all orders of a photo shop through the large-scale lab should be possible. However, this is problematic because the different orders of the photo shop will most likely be assigned to several different batches. Since it is not possible to process all batches simultaneously, individual orders of a photo shop that have already been processed must wait until the remaining orders of the photo shop are ready. Only then are all orders sent and shipped back to the photo shop together.
Some time ago, new structures for large-scale lab operations become known. For example, one such structure is described in the published European patent application EP 0 893 907 A1. According to this disclosure, several reading means for reading the input media via a so-called “bus” can be linked to several output means for outputting image information onto recording material. The image data generated by the reading means that contain the read image information can be transferred to one of the output means via the bus, based on the order-specific accompanying data that are provided to the known system for generating images together with the input media. To this end, a control device that controls the data flow of the reading means to the output means based on the order and corresponding to the accompanying data is connected to the bus. With the system known from EP 0 893 907 A1, it shall be possible to handle different copying orders without preparatory planning in any desired sequence. No preparatory sorting of the input media is carried out. The image data as determined by the reading means is transferred to the various output devices based solely on the accompanying data. The known system includes a collection device that is used to perform the sorting according to the orders. This means, that only at the end, that is, after all images of the respective orders have been generated and produced, an assignment of the generated images to the input media and other components of this order is carried out. Final processing with this known system is very extensive. In particular, freely selectable storage units (“memories”) must be available for the various components of an order and any desired access to these memories must be ensured.